Woman held on $35,000 bail in Marriott murder case

Wednesday

Dec 26, 2012 at 10:22 AMDec 26, 2012 at 3:02 PM

DERRY — The Portsmouth woman said to be the girlfriend of a murder suspect in the case of missing University of New Hampshire student Elizabeth "Lizzi" Marriott, has been ordered held on $35,000 cash bail or surety.

By Samantha Allensallen@fosters.com

DERRY — The Portsmouth woman said to be the girlfriend of a murder suspect in the case of missing University of New Hampshire student Elizabeth "Lizzi" Marriott has been ordered held on $35,000 cash bail or surety.

Kathryn McDonough, 19, of 450 Greenside Ave., was arrested on Christmas Eve and charged with one felony count of hindering apprehension or prosecution and one felony count of conspiracy to commit hindering apprehension or prosecution. Both are Level B felonies, and carry a sentence of 2-1/2 to 7 years imprisonment.

McDonough has been ordered, if released, to stay with her parents in Portsmouth and to have no contact with murder suspect Seth Mazzaglia, whom she was living with at the time of Marriott's disappearance.

In Derry District Court, Assistant Attorney General Peter Hinckley said McDonough gave authorities a false alibi on Oct. 12 for her and Mazzaglia on the day of Oct. 9, the day police say Marriott was allegedly murdered. He told Judge John Coughlin Marriott's body, which authorities are still actively seeking, is missing "largely" due to McDonough's alleged false reports.

He noted she was arrested without incident at her place of work on Dec. 24, somewhere in Newington. Hinckley said he was limited in what he could say as the investigation is ongoing.

McDonough's attorney Ryan Russman via a video arraignment out of Rockingham County House of Corrections, seated next to his client, argued McDonough is very young and just graduated from high school. He said she is not a threat to her community.

McDonough, dressed in a red jumpsuit, did not speak during her arraignment and her parents, present in the courtroom, said they understood their responsibilities if McDonough is released on bail to them.

Following the hearing, Jay Nadeau, attorney for the McDonough family, said he believes it was "suspect" the state Attorney General's office had Kathryn, known as "Kat," arrested on Christmas Eve and that she had to spend Christmas Day in jail. He added the family is glad to have their daughter return home.

Foster's Daily Democrat has learned the alleged murder of Marriott occurred during a sexual encounter. Foster's has been unable to confirm whether the sexual encounter was voluntary or involuntary and was denied the unsealing of court affidavits at Dover District Court after petitioning for release of the documents and other investigatory materials pertaining to the case earlier this year.

Seth Mazzaglia, a 30-year-old Dover resident, was arrested on Oct. 15 and charged with second-degree murder in connection with Marriott's death, while a weeks-long search continued along the coast of the Piscataqua River between Portmsouth and Rye for Marriott's body. It has yet to be recovered.

Authorities allege Mazzaglia, who is currently being held without bail, suffocated or strangled Marriott.

On Dec. 24, authorities announced McDonough, Mazzaglia's girlfriend, was arrested in Portsmouth in connection to the case.

Although Marriott's body was never recovered, prosecutors say they have gathered “credible” evidence indicating Mazzaglia caused the death of the 19-year-old woman inside his Dover apartment on Mill Street the night she went missing.

That night, Marriott was reportedly planning to see a female friend after leaving campus in Durham at about 9 p.m., according to her uncle, Anthony Hanna. Hanna said the woman lived in an apartment on Mill Street with her boyfriend, and that she became acquainted with Marriott while they were working together at a local Target store.

Marriott failed to show up for work the following morning at Target in Greenland, and was also absent from class on Thursday, Oct. 11, prompting a widespread search for her. Many friends from her hometown of Westborough, Mass., took to Twitter with the hash tag “find Lizzi.” In the absence of an explanation for the death, those who knew Marriott and her suspected killer have been puzzled by the crime.

Friends and family have described Marriott as a fun-loving, trusting young woman with a wide circle of friends who was active in chorus and a prom queen in high school. She loved animals, volunteered at the New England Aquarium and helped put herself through school by working at Target. She lived with family in Chester while she commuted to school in Durham.

Friends remember Mazzaglia, an aspiring actor and 2006 UNH theater graduate, as a “nice guy” who was enthusiastic about martial arts.

Mazzaglia holds a black belt in karate, and has appeared in more than a dozen local theater productions.

Mazzaglia operated a number of online accounts, including a profile on the dating website OKCupid.com under the username “DarkKaiser.”

Mazzaglia does not drink or take drugs, according to his page, which lists hobbies such as “gaming” and “watching movies.”

Officials would not comment on McDonough's relationship with Marriott.